When your hearing aid stops working as it should, you can find yourself feeling incredibly distressed at its loss. Most people with hearing aids come to rely on these devices to allow them to live life to the fullest. It can, then, feel incredibly discombobulating if you realize such a key device isn’t functioning as well as you might hope.

Thankfully, most skilled audiologists will be able to undertake a hearing aid repair that will have your device returned to you as quickly as possible. To help familiarize yourself with the repair process, read on for a guide to four of the most common hearing aid repairs…

Tubing problems

Clogged tubing is a common cause of many hearing aid issues and, thankfully, it’s a relatively simple fix. The most common cause of the clogging is earwax buildup, though moisture may also be an issue. You can help to prevent clogged tubing in future by cleaning your hearing aid of earwax regularly.

It is not just clogged tubing that can be problematic. If the tubing becomes tangled, bent, or otherwise damaged, it may need to be replaced to keep your hearing aid functioning correctly. Your audiologist will be able to advise you further on this when they inspect your device.

Replacement earmold

Over time, the earmold — the part of the hearing aid that sits flush to the skin of your ear— can become worn. This may lead to it sliding rather than remaining fixed in place, which can cause discomfort over a long period of time. In cases such as this, an audiologist will usually suggest a new earmold be connected to the existing device. This should resolve the problem entirely.

Broken microphone

Unfortunately, if the cause of your malfunctioning hearing aid is a broken microphone, the fix is rather difficult. Ascertaining the fix required will depend heavily on the cause of the issue. If the microphone has been compressed or otherwise physically damaged, it may be impossible to repair. Your audiologist will usually advise you on whether they can fix the issue themselves. This is likely with more minor cases, but your device may need to be returned to the manufacturer for repair.

Excessive moisture fixes

Hearing aids always struggle when exposed to water. Whether your device is fixable after moisture exposure depends on a variety of factors. For smaller issues, your audiologist may be able to fix the problem. In more severe cases, it will have to be referred to the manufacturer. Moisture-exposure repairs are possible, but they are difficult and far from guaranteed. Prevention is far easier than the cure in this case.

Final thoughts

In most cases, your audiologist will be able to check and perform the fix on your hearing aid where required. In more severe cases, though, your device may have to be returned to the manufacturer. Either way, you can be sure that your hearing aid is in expert hands, and should hopefully be returned to you back to its full power as soon as possible.